Scalloped Potatoes
potatoes
sharp cheddar cheese
Parmesan cheese
red onion
flour
salt
pepper
paprika
garlic powder
parsley (dried or dice fresh)
butter/margarine
small container... 1-cup of heavy cream
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
5 - good size potatoes (usually 1 potato per person)
wash and peel...slice about 1/2 inch thick or a little thinner....not thicker!
Peel red onion and slice as thin as you can
Layer in casserole pan
dot butter first...melt in microwave
layer potatoes
dot with more butter
sprinkle flour (this keeps the butter from being too oily and thickens the cream)
garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, parsley
spread red onion, sparsely
sprinkle cheddar cheese and parmesean cheese
dot again with butter and make second layer, same as the first. Should of used up the potatoes, if not...then just continue to layer....Dot top of layer with more butter
Before putting in the oven pour the heavy cream over the top and bake for about 45 mins.
check with a fork for tenderness. Should be golden brown from the cream and cheeses
Ref: My mom :)
Mom's famous scalloped potatoes! World class awesomeness, and I still screwed it up. LOL Well not entirely, but there was just obviously A LOT going on in the kitchen and I forgot to add the heavy cream before popping it in the oven. Which turned out to not be a HUGE deal, which shows you can omit it if you want, but if you do, use less flour. LOL I think only one bite I had might of had a smidge of a floury taste. The cream does make it richer...thus the awesomeness, but they were still yummy. :) Thanks mom!
And no, my potatoes don't look like a cat, but I forgot to take separate photos in the excitement of eating, so you can see them in the background of the candied yams post. Awlow was just cracking me up laying sprawled on her back like that on my lap. She was full from turkey too thanks to her dad. hahaha
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Ingredients
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese,
softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 (16 ounce) can pumpkin
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
TOPPING:
2 cups sour cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
For filling, beat cream cheese and sugar in a large mixing bowl until well blended. Beat in pumpkin, spices and salt. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Pour into crust. Bake at 350 degrees
F for 50 minutes. Meanwhile, for topping, combine sour cream, sugar and vanilla.
Spread over filling; return to the oven for 5 minutes. Cool on rack; chill overnight.
Ref: AllRecipes
Picture is not the prettiest, but was the best I could do before Mike finished it, haha. Not going to lie, I'm totally proud of myself and my first cheesecake attempt. :D The above is what the recipe said. I made some minor modifications. I used pumpkin allspice instead of all the spices separately and added a dash more cinnamon. I also threw in a dash of vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture just because it's awesome. :D Didn't realize how much the main batter would rise so I will definitely leave a little more room for the sour cream topping next time. (I filled it to the brim) I'd like to say I was truly ambitious and made the graham cracker crust too, but lets not kid ourselves. Baby steps, baaaaaby steps. hahaha Bottom line, DELICIOUS!
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese,
softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 (16 ounce) can pumpkin
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
TOPPING:
2 cups sour cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
For filling, beat cream cheese and sugar in a large mixing bowl until well blended. Beat in pumpkin, spices and salt. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Pour into crust. Bake at 350 degrees
F for 50 minutes. Meanwhile, for topping, combine sour cream, sugar and vanilla.
Spread over filling; return to the oven for 5 minutes. Cool on rack; chill overnight.
Ref: AllRecipes
Picture is not the prettiest, but was the best I could do before Mike finished it, haha. Not going to lie, I'm totally proud of myself and my first cheesecake attempt. :D The above is what the recipe said. I made some minor modifications. I used pumpkin allspice instead of all the spices separately and added a dash more cinnamon. I also threw in a dash of vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture just because it's awesome. :D Didn't realize how much the main batter would rise so I will definitely leave a little more room for the sour cream topping next time. (I filled it to the brim) I'd like to say I was truly ambitious and made the graham cracker crust too, but lets not kid ourselves. Baby steps, baaaaaby steps. hahaha Bottom line, DELICIOUS!
Monday, November 15, 2010
Turkey Pumpkins
Saw a version of this on one of my favorite blogs and was immediately excited to turn my Halloween decorations into Thanksgiving decorations! Talk about recycling! :D Went to Micheal's and picked up a few pieces of .29 cent felt in red, brown, and tan and also picked up a pack of paper in fall colors which was about $2 after my 40% off coupon.
I then winged cutting out feather shapes by hand, partially because I didn't want them all to be the exact same like a stencil would give me, but mainly because I was too lazy to make a stencil. :D
I then arranged the "feathers" together in a fan position and tacky glued them together. In order to get them to effectively stick to the butt of the pumpkin, I cut out a circle in the brown felt and glued half the circle to the bottom of feather fan and that helped attach the feather fan to the pumpkin itself since the felt mold to the shape of the pumpkin.
For the head i just cut out two identical pieces in felt and glued them together about 3/4 of the way down. I left the bottom open to fit better over the stem of the pumpkin so it would sit up properly. Then used the red felt for that thingie that hangs off the beak. Yup, I have no idea what it's called, so I'm referring to it as the "thingie". Super technical term. :D
The eyes i just cut out of of the leftover brown paper from the feathers and tacky glued them on.
Ta-da! A super fun Thanksgiving decoration and yet another reason for my boyfriend to make fun of me endearingly. :D
Ref: www.bedifferentactnormal.com
I then winged cutting out feather shapes by hand, partially because I didn't want them all to be the exact same like a stencil would give me, but mainly because I was too lazy to make a stencil. :D
I then arranged the "feathers" together in a fan position and tacky glued them together. In order to get them to effectively stick to the butt of the pumpkin, I cut out a circle in the brown felt and glued half the circle to the bottom of feather fan and that helped attach the feather fan to the pumpkin itself since the felt mold to the shape of the pumpkin.
For the head i just cut out two identical pieces in felt and glued them together about 3/4 of the way down. I left the bottom open to fit better over the stem of the pumpkin so it would sit up properly. Then used the red felt for that thingie that hangs off the beak. Yup, I have no idea what it's called, so I'm referring to it as the "thingie". Super technical term. :D
The eyes i just cut out of of the leftover brown paper from the feathers and tacky glued them on.
Ta-da! A super fun Thanksgiving decoration and yet another reason for my boyfriend to make fun of me endearingly. :D
Ref: www.bedifferentactnormal.com
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Snack-o-Lantern
Ingredients
* Navel orange
* Canned or fresh fruit salad
Instructions
1. To make one lantern, use a small knife to slice the top off a navel orange and cut around its interior to hollow it out. Scoop out the orange segments, chop them, and mix them with canned or fresh fruit salad.
2. Carve small facial features in one side of the orange, then cut a slit in the lid to accommodate the handle of a green plastic spoon. Fill the lantern with fruit salad. Insert the spoon and set the lid in place.
Ref: http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/snack-o-lantern-784940/
So I didn't have time to actually make this but I LOVED the idea and wanted to share in my blog. Love the healthy twist on a Halloween treat! Next year for sure!!
* Navel orange
* Canned or fresh fruit salad
Instructions
1. To make one lantern, use a small knife to slice the top off a navel orange and cut around its interior to hollow it out. Scoop out the orange segments, chop them, and mix them with canned or fresh fruit salad.
2. Carve small facial features in one side of the orange, then cut a slit in the lid to accommodate the handle of a green plastic spoon. Fill the lantern with fruit salad. Insert the spoon and set the lid in place.
Ref: http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/snack-o-lantern-784940/
So I didn't have time to actually make this but I LOVED the idea and wanted to share in my blog. Love the healthy twist on a Halloween treat! Next year for sure!!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Monster Eyeballs
Ingredients
* Cream Puffs
* White Chocolate Chips
* Milk Chocolate Chips
* Food Coloring (optional)
* Gel icing (optional)
* Sandwich sticks or some type of mini skewer
Directions
* I started with cheater/ready-made cream puffs. I scored 110 of these babies from Costco for 9.99. That's hard to beat!
* Then I, dipped them in white chocolate candy melts.
I just put it in the microwave for 30 seconds, then stir, then repeat (usually 3-4 times) until its melted. Dip about half-way in.
* Then while it's still wet, put a chocolate chip, upside-down in the center. Don't press it all the way down, leave it raised a little.
* Now set them down and let them dry.
* I Actually skewered them at this point, two on each sandwich skewer, because it helped keep them upright to dry and to then add the gel color.
* I used the colored gel icing tubes but the original recipe suggested dying the white chocolate different colors for the iris part. I just didn't have a squeezy bottle to administer this task. The gel icing is gooey and creepy and you can drag a toothpick through it to make bloodshot eyes which is cool but remember it doesn't harden like the chocolate, so be careful in how you package them if you go this route. :)
Ref: http://beeinourbonnet.blogspot.com/2010/10/monster-eyeballs.html
Voila! A creepy set of delicious monster eyeballs for an awesome Halloween treat! Whats even better is the cream puff makes such an awesome "squish" when you bite into it, you might, for a second, think you're actually eating an eyeball. An awesomely, chocolate covered, creamy, delicious eyeball. :D
* Cream Puffs
* White Chocolate Chips
* Milk Chocolate Chips
* Food Coloring (optional)
* Gel icing (optional)
* Sandwich sticks or some type of mini skewer
Directions
* I started with cheater/ready-made cream puffs. I scored 110 of these babies from Costco for 9.99. That's hard to beat!
* Then I, dipped them in white chocolate candy melts.
I just put it in the microwave for 30 seconds, then stir, then repeat (usually 3-4 times) until its melted. Dip about half-way in.
* Then while it's still wet, put a chocolate chip, upside-down in the center. Don't press it all the way down, leave it raised a little.
* Now set them down and let them dry.
* I Actually skewered them at this point, two on each sandwich skewer, because it helped keep them upright to dry and to then add the gel color.
* I used the colored gel icing tubes but the original recipe suggested dying the white chocolate different colors for the iris part. I just didn't have a squeezy bottle to administer this task. The gel icing is gooey and creepy and you can drag a toothpick through it to make bloodshot eyes which is cool but remember it doesn't harden like the chocolate, so be careful in how you package them if you go this route. :)
Ref: http://beeinourbonnet.blogspot.com/2010/10/monster-eyeballs.html
Voila! A creepy set of delicious monster eyeballs for an awesome Halloween treat! Whats even better is the cream puff makes such an awesome "squish" when you bite into it, you might, for a second, think you're actually eating an eyeball. An awesomely, chocolate covered, creamy, delicious eyeball. :D
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Lobster Tail
Ingredients
* Lobster Tail
* Marinade of your choice
Directions
Cut open the lobster tail and pull out the meat. Cut away any slimy parts. ( I know, real technical term, right? haha) Cut the tail meat into bite size chucks and toss in a seafood marinade. Let sit for 30 min. Stuff the tail with the marinated meat. Heat grill on medium. Cook on medium for 6 minutes on each side. Tail turns orange when done!
Ref: Mike! :)
Lobster Season has opened and I'm stoked!! Perks of living in San Diego!! Mike has taught me how to hoop for lobsters which is a hilarious game of stuffing a bait box in a special round net, chucking the net overboard and pulling it up a few minutes later with hopes of some fatty lobsters in it! We're going to eat well this winter! :D
This recipe is simple but great. Nothing beats seafood on a grill. And a light marinade doesn't take away from the delicious flavor of the lobster!
* Lobster Tail
* Marinade of your choice
Directions
Cut open the lobster tail and pull out the meat. Cut away any slimy parts. ( I know, real technical term, right? haha) Cut the tail meat into bite size chucks and toss in a seafood marinade. Let sit for 30 min. Stuff the tail with the marinated meat. Heat grill on medium. Cook on medium for 6 minutes on each side. Tail turns orange when done!
Ref: Mike! :)
Lobster Season has opened and I'm stoked!! Perks of living in San Diego!! Mike has taught me how to hoop for lobsters which is a hilarious game of stuffing a bait box in a special round net, chucking the net overboard and pulling it up a few minutes later with hopes of some fatty lobsters in it! We're going to eat well this winter! :D
This recipe is simple but great. Nothing beats seafood on a grill. And a light marinade doesn't take away from the delicious flavor of the lobster!
Friday, September 24, 2010
Smothered Filet Mignon
Ingredients:
4 (6 ounce) filet mignon steaks
seasoned salt to taste
cracked black pepper to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups onion slices
1 teaspoon white sugar
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
Directions:
1. Season steaks with seasoned salt and black pepper, and arrange in a single layer in a large baking dish. In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, and rosemary. Pour mixture over filets, and turn to coat. Marinate for up to 30 minutes.
2. While you are marinating the meat, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onion slices in butter until soft, then stir in sugar. Continue cooking until onions are caramelized. Set aside.
3. Preheat grill for high heat on one side, and medium heat on the other side.
4. Lightly oil the grill grate. Place steaks on the hot side of the grill, and cook for 10 minutes, turning once. When the steaks are almost done, move to the cooler side of the grill. Top each filet with a quarter of the caramelized onions and blue cheese. Close the lid, and continue cooking until the cheese is melted.
Ref: All Recipes
Love, love, LOVE this marinade! The blue cheese crust with a great glass of Pinot Noir was just fantastic. I'm thinking it would be a good marinade for chicken too! Although I did find out a certain someone doesn't like blue cheese afterwards... but did devour the filet mignon regardless... still under investigation if he was being nice or more proof on how much this recipe rocks. :D
4 (6 ounce) filet mignon steaks
seasoned salt to taste
cracked black pepper to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups onion slices
1 teaspoon white sugar
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
Directions:
1. Season steaks with seasoned salt and black pepper, and arrange in a single layer in a large baking dish. In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, and rosemary. Pour mixture over filets, and turn to coat. Marinate for up to 30 minutes.
2. While you are marinating the meat, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onion slices in butter until soft, then stir in sugar. Continue cooking until onions are caramelized. Set aside.
3. Preheat grill for high heat on one side, and medium heat on the other side.
4. Lightly oil the grill grate. Place steaks on the hot side of the grill, and cook for 10 minutes, turning once. When the steaks are almost done, move to the cooler side of the grill. Top each filet with a quarter of the caramelized onions and blue cheese. Close the lid, and continue cooking until the cheese is melted.
Ref: All Recipes
Love, love, LOVE this marinade! The blue cheese crust with a great glass of Pinot Noir was just fantastic. I'm thinking it would be a good marinade for chicken too! Although I did find out a certain someone doesn't like blue cheese afterwards... but did devour the filet mignon regardless... still under investigation if he was being nice or more proof on how much this recipe rocks. :D
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